Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electrical connectors and relates more especially to multicontact connectors for printed circuit boards.
Electrical connectors presently used for making connection to printed circuit boards have hitherto typically consisted of resilient metal contacts mounted in racks arranged to receive the circuit boards and to cooperate with surface contacts of the boards when pressed into their operating positions. Alternatively, surface mounted connectors have been provided for attachment to circuit boards to receive male multi-pin plug-in cable connectors.
Hitherto with integrated elements on a printed circuit board electrical connections to such a board have occupied an appreciable part of the space occupied by the board itself and the present invention seeks to provide an improved and/or more compact electrical connector for this purpose.
In addition, when some conventional connectors are mated to a circuit board, the force imposed during mating deforms the board or the connector, which can fracture the connections. It would be desirable to eliminate this problem also.